Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-04
POULTRY NOTES.
MATCHING CHICKS IN JULY.

bring very high prices when ready for
market, nor will the pullets lay before
spring. Considering that vermin must
be fought and quarters kept clean, but
little advantage, if any is gained by allow
ing the hens to sit this month.
KEEP THE wHITEwAsH BRUSH IN MOTION.
Put on plenty of whitewash in the
poultry houses, and let it be applied
thickly. Mix with it either kerosene oil,
carbolic acid, or any of the advertised
Uses obnoxious to lice. Fill every crack
and crevice with it, for vermin multiply
very rapidly this month.
LEGHoRNs.
Leghorns that are Matched in juno
make rapid growth, as warm weather is
very favorable to them. AS they mature
early, and begin to lay before they are
six months old, they are among the most
profitable of our breeds. They are good
flyers, and high fence is necessary to
keep them in bounds.
PROTECT MACHINERY AND TEAMS
Economy in the care of farm machin-
cry and teams will be of great beuefit. A
reaper properly used, and housed when
years, while one left out of doors will do
bad work five years A team kept in a
light, well ventilated stable, properly
worked and fed, will do good service %
years, while with the too common abuse,
it becomes useless at fifteen.
Prof. J. W. Sanborn has reported a
series of interesting experiments on the
relation of dew to soil moisture, made by
driving iron tubes given length into the
ground, and thus securing portion of
the soil enclosed for examination, capill-
airy attraction being shut off from the cy
finders of earth by means of an inserted
bottom, placed by digging down on one.
Some of the leading results were, that
the soil loses moisture by night, both
when there is dew and when there is not;
that shallow-tilled soil loses less by night
than deep titled ;that deep tillage is fol
lowed by less evaporation in drouth than
shallow tillage; and that good deal of
study needs yet be given to the subject
FEED THE GRAIN.
farmers stock in trade, or capital
consists in productiveness of his land,
and he cannot afford to dispose of it in
yearly installments by selling grain. He
must feed the products of the farm to
animals and return the manure to the
land and the kind of animals best to feed
depends on the location, the character of
the land, and above all, the taste and
qualifications of the owner. Whatever
kind man chooses, he should make it a
point to improve them by good care and
careful breeding. Large outlay of money
is not always necessary. Careful selec-
ton from common stock, we'll cared for,
will do better than high priced animals
neglected.
The Ohio Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton, Columbus, last year made some care
full experiment in planting corn thick and
thin in the hill and at different distances
apart In the row. The corn was all plant
ed on the same day and received the same
cultivation throughout. The soil was
moderately fertile clay loan. At husking
time the largest total yield of grain was
from two kernels to the hill II inches
apart, and the rows 81 feet. This was
56.3 bushels per acre, but there was 49.5
per cent of nubbins, while in the rows
when there was planted one kernel Is
inches apart, 81 feet between rows, the
yield while only 42.3 bushel per acre gave
only 42 per cent of nubbins. The largest
actual yield Of ears was obtained from
two kernels in the hill "a inches apart
The final conclusion arrived at was that
grouping the plants to three in hill is
better than twos, and that two plants at
double the distance is better than one In
places six inches apart.
DEBT OF TAXATION.
1t is more expensive for farmer to be
in debt than for men engaged in other bust
ness, on account of our unjust and uncons-
titu5ional assessment laws, which collect
tax on a farmers debts, and exempt the
debts of money lenders from tax. This dis
crimination in favor of the rich against
the poor is all the more exasperating
because the kind of property favored can
be, and is mostly hidden from the asses
sor, while land is visible and can't escape,
and the more property there is hidden
from tax, the greater the tax must be on
visible property, hence it would require
good deal of energy, ecoLomy and good
management in order to support a family,
pay interest on purchase money, increase
the fertility of the land, pay tax on the
debt and large per cent of tax rightfully
belonging to others. But the owner of
small farm can, by properly growing
hogs, corn and clover, realize profit
and increase the fertility of his land,
providing he appreciates the value of
manure rnd applies it in a proper
manner, and if he is convenient to rail
way station, small fruit ill connection
ought to insure success.